Why does bullet grain matter

As you might expect, there are a ton of variables that play into all this. Propellant burn rate can also play a role. Both expansion and penetration are affected by bullet shape, material, and other factors as well, but weight plays a role.

This essentially means that in most cases heavier bullets are reserved for hunting and self defense. When loaded into hunting rifles, a heavier bullet is more likely to deliver more energy into the target, resulting in a more humane shot. For self defense, a heavier bullet gives you a better chance at stopping a threat. A smaller bullet can be effective if overall speed and distance is your goal. Speed is generally preferred for distance target shooting, as it reduces the chances of drop.

As we saw above, the heavier bullet dropped further, which means your trajectory will be straighter with a lighter projectile, and your overall distance potential will be longer. If you participate in distance rifle shooting, especially for target practice, a lighter bullet may be ideal. If you are hunting with a rifle at long distances, a light bullet may be better, but you will sacrifice energy. Smaller bullets can also reduce recoil. If you carry a pistol and have difficulty handling high recoil, you may find that a smaller bullet is more comfortable to shoot.

If you are not sure whether you should go with a heavier or lighter bullet, the best option is to go with something in the middle. Many calibers has a standard bullet weight, such as the. Others have weights or a narrow range of weights that are most common because they deliver the best performance. For example, the 9mm Luger is most commonly found with grain, so this is likely your best starting point.

Want to find a variety of cartridges and search for different bullet weights for your specific needs? Here at Ammotogo. Let your fellow shooters know — share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. The more we all know, the better organized and stronger the shooting and hunting community will be. The Lodge AmmoToGo. It is an extremely small unit. In fact, 1 ounce is equal to For another comparison, 1 gram is equal to Many people think that grain refers to something with the gunpowder or propellant used.

However, it really has nothing to do with that. In ammunition, grains are used to say how large the projectile of the cartridge is.

So, when ammunition says it is 55 grain FMJ, it means that the actual bullet that will fly downrange weighs 55 grains. Top 10 Revealed. Each caliber of ammunition generally has quite a few different choices for grain size. This number is only increased if you are handloading your own ammunition. First of all, what exactly are you shooting for? A few calibers that use heavy bullets, like. Other ammo is only subsonic when used with bullets that are heavy for the caliber. For example, the popular.

Bullet Weight vs. Recoil : A lot of people intuitively believe there must be some link between bullet weight and recoil. If I want lighter recoil loads for my handgun, I should choose a lighter bullet weight, right? If the lighter bullets were pushed to the same velocity as the heavier bullets then simple physics would dictate that the recoil impulse would be reduced.

But as I mentioned earlier, lighter bullets are usually loaded to fly at greater velocities in order to make up for their low mass. Or… the heavier bullet could have more recoil depending on the load. For example, if the cartridge has a fast burning propelllant, the recoil could hit you all at once, translating to a sharp snap against your hand or shoulder. A slow burning powder might distribute the recoil force over a longer period which feels like softer recoil.

There is really just no way to determine what recoil is going to feel like by looking at bullet weight alone. You might even still be doubting whether bullet weight is something worth paying attention to at all. Aug, 21, Jun. Chris Baker. Share Article. From left to right, the bullets in these.